Ibby

I noticed when I took the metric ton springs out of the '90 Comanche and rebuilt the packs using the 91 short box pack that the size of the regular leafs were different. The metric ton springs were a bit thicker than the regular springs. I would up swapping just the overloads and the preloaders onto the 91 spring packs. They're better than before, but not as good as the original metric ton ones were (when I took the metric ton springs apart, 7 of them were cracked). Thanks for the advice here folks, from what I've read up on here I think new metric ton springs with a set of sensa track load leveling shocks should fix things up proper.

Took me a bit but I figured out how to host the pics. here they are: The springs with the camper on. It's not heavily loaded in this pic. A pretty typical load when I take road trips in the summer.

How the heck do I post a pic from my computer onto here?

I thought I read somewhere that the Hell's Creek MT springs were not made by them, they were made some place else?

Good advice, I do tend to overload my truck at times. New spring packs are a good idea, I hope General Spring have some in stock still. I'll take pics of the setup this weekend, she needs a new muffler installed anyway. I'm looking at a lighter camper as well, the import one I have now is a little on the heavy side for its size.

I have a short box 91 that I often carry an import camper with. I've made bastardized spring packs from a set of metric ton springs and te stock spring packs with a new add a leaf thrown in, and I've swapped in a freshened up Comanche D44. I also did the 95 brake upgrade so all that part is good. I usually load the camper full of too much crap and wind up with a saggy sad looking rear end. I'm considering installing either some sort of airbag system or a Timbren system http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3108 I've done some searching here but I don't see many posts about adding this stuff into a Comanche. Anyone have any input or ideas for managing heavier loads?

Apologies on the bad terminology. I realize the prop/combi device is just a distribution block. I just went with what everyone seems to call it. I read all the articles here on the brake work I did and I am quite happy with the results. The increase in braking power is quite noticeable. The "spongy" feeling at the start of pressing the brake pedal had me concerned. She stops like a champ though.

Yep, kept the stock prop/combination valve. The adjustable one sits between the stock one and the new single rear line I ran, keeps the rear brakes from locking up. The correct port has been plugged. The booster and all the other parts I installed are brand new. Firewall's in good shape and all bolts have been tightened (and rechecked) to the specified torque in the Haynes manual. The bleeder valves don't leak. I've left the truck in the garage overnight and not a drop has shown up on the floor. I looked at all the fittings and they're bone dry. After I did the re-bleed last night things are seeming a lot better even though I didn't see any air bubbles at all. I can feel the difference in braking power is way better than the stock system. I think it's fine now. I'm just a bit concerned as I'll have a camper on the truck and I'll be towing a fairly heavy load as well, which is what made me put the better braking system in the first place.

With the exception of the front brake lines, everything is new. The prop valve I used is identical to this: http://www.coloradomustang.com/ShowItem/100714%20Mustang%20Disc%20Brake%20Proportioning%20Valve%2064%20-%2073.aspx but I didn't think to put a check valve in when I installed it. I wound up making a pump brake bleeder this evening and re-bled the truck (yes, in the right order). Although the cap on the 95 booster leaked a bit of fluid I didn't see any bubbles at any of the wheels when I re-bled things. After the bleed the brakes are a bit more firm. Does the pressur holding vavle for the rear brakes make a big difference?

I recently did a bunch of brake work on my 91 MJ. I swapped in an MJ D44 with the larger drum brakes, removed the bed biasing device and ran a single line to the rear through an adjustable prop valve, and I just installed a 95 booster and master cylinder. When I went to bleed the front calipers I broke a bleed screw so I replaced the calipers and rotors. I bled the system quite well and there is a huge difference in braking, but when I first push in the pedal it does feel a bit spongy. Is this normal?

Yup the spring shop knew what size ubolts to make up. I forgot to mention it's a D44 out of another Comanche I'm using for parts. Looks like it'll be a straight up swap. Thanks for the tips!

I have a leaky drum brake on a D35 in my 91 Comanche, and I also have a D44 with recently redone brakes just sitting in the shed. I'd like to swap in the D44 this weekend but I want to make sure I have all the necessary parts. I'll be picking up new u bolts and brake fluid today, is there anything else I'll be needing? I'm pretty horrible for forgetting small parts during jobs like this, and the closest parts store is a couple miles away. Sucks to walk to. I am aware of the 1 inch difference between the axles. I can shorten the driveshaft myself if it's required, but I've measured it out and it looks like I shouldn't need to.

D'oh, just figured it out in my head. I should have been using the ground pin for well, ground, not the potentiometer pin. Kind of a horrible mistake for an electronics tech. I'll blame it on a garage full of fuel fumes. Thanks for the head's up hornbrod. You fixed my brain fart.

I took apart my Renix fuel system from the other truck to test the fuel pump/sender from that truck, and it does the exact same thing but in reverse (which I kind of expected as it's Renix). I don't understand why the pumps won't pump unless the potentiometer is at max. Am I bench testing these things incorrectly?

I've recently had trouble with my MJ (1991 4.0 5 spd) where it will stutter, come close to stalling and backfire a bit through the intake. I've experienced this before as I've owned several other Jeeps. I did the regular stuff, checked the ignition, dist, wires, checked the throttle, TPS, etc and all checked out fine. I checked pressure at the rail and found not quite 20 psi so I dropped the tank. I found the small rubber hose from the pump to the tube had come loose so I replaced it and tightened it down. I buttoned everything up and found the fuel pump would not run at all. I took it apart again and tested the pump at various points from the pump leads back. With 12 volts on the pump it runs like a champ. If I try to put 12 volts at the 3 pin electrical connector, nothing happens, unless the float arm is raised all the way up, and then the pump runs fine. When the arm is lowered, the pump starts to run slower, and after about a half inch of travel from the top the pump stops completely. I've never run across this before, and I'm not sure how to go about fixing it. Has anyone seen this happen before?

Thanks for the great ideas. The doors aren't going to work as the Cherokee was my bush basher and they're pretty beat up and well, holy. The mirrors are a good idea. My roommate wanted them for his Samurai, but I doubt he'll make them fit. The rear axle in the Cherokee was the 29 spline Chrysler 8.25 which I sold, as the Comanche has the D44 which is a bit better I find. Thanks for all the good tips, looking forward to wrenching the good out of the Cherokee!

I wasn't sure where to post this. This section seemed close. I have a dead 2000 Cherokee in my yard. I've taken it mostly apart (axles, lift kit, tranny, transfer case, etc.) and I'm close to getting rid of it. I'd like to know what parts I can strip off it that will work on my 1990 Comanche. I've already got the door seals on my list, but I'm sure I'm missing a few bits here and there I can make use of. Any tips or advice would be most welcome. Thanks!

Might be tough, the '01 has no distributor, it's a coil-on-plug setup. Also just a note, there is a fuel pump shutoff in the 00's and 01's. Found out the hard way after an accident in my '00.

Like any part, folks will have their personal preference about things. I prefer to use a mid/good quality axle shaft ujoint. I like the greaseable ones from Spicer. They work well and hold up fine even when I'm out pounding on my XJ. I used some non greasable types before and found that they wore pretty quickly. I use cheapies in the driveshafts to act as fuses. It's way easier to change them on the trail than it is to change axle ujoints. You could go with something extreme like an Ox, but those are usually overkill for most trucks. There's a local fellow here who upgrades ujoints by removing the needle bearings and replacing them with a sintered bronze bushing. It seems to hold up a lot better in the more hardcore guy's trucks. Lots cheaper than an Ox as well. One thing you can do to prevent the ujoint from egging the shaft hole is to put a small tack weld on the cup to attach it to the shaft. This will also help in the event you grenade the ujoint. It'll keep the cup from ruining the yoke ear when the crosspiece tries to fly out. Just a quick small tack is all that's needed. Lastly, I like to carry a spare set of spindle slugs from a 2WD MJ in the XJ. That unit bearing isn't a fixed part, it's just a pressed together unit. As mentioned already, if you put it back on without the shaft being there, the unit bearing halves will separate and you'll be waving good bye to your tire somewhere down the street. I saw this happen to a kid who broke his axle on the trail. There was no telling him, he knew his truck better than anyone. Cost him plenty to get a tow home. The spindle slugs used in the 2WD's keeps the bearing from separating. Good insurance.

Ok, pics it is. I had to reinstall everything as I switched AC units and put in better wiring. Did it up in a couple hours today. Here you go: Here's the AC unit, some wiring, connectors etc. The AC unit is a Noma 5500 BTU box. The remote control was handy for this project. A little 2 gauge welding cable with Anderson connectors added to the main battery. I put a second battery of the same type behind the seat in a marine enclosure. Here's the unit being tested after all the wiring was completed. With the compressor going and the fan on low it tells me there's 350 watts of draw. I think that's a little low, but I'll test it with a proper meter later. Cutting up the dryer hose. Standard 4" x 8' chunk cut in two, worked perfectly. I cut it on the chop saw for fun. AC unit in the bed sitting on an old mortar crate. It put the unit at the perfect height for running the hoses and power and being able to use the remote control. The inverter all wired up sitting on the floor. I'd normally have it behind the seat over the second battery, but as I'll have several items plugged into it for the trip I wanted to keep an eye on it a little more closely. There's also plenty of 12v plugins and a couple of drink coolers that make great holders that I installed for the trip. Here's the ducts. They're bunched up at the moment and can extend to the seat bottom. Reverse shot. This thing puts out a serious amount of very cold air. And yes, one of these days I'll fix that headliner...

Great advice on locations. I did the I90 east in early January to bring the MJ out and saw a few places I want to stop by on the way back. Mt Rushmore, Deadwood City, Devil's Tower. Badlands and Yellowstone are bonuses I didn't know about, I'll totally be going. I have a great little camera and laptop setup already. I saw my first ever Cabela's just off the highway in Rapid City. I'd seen them online but never went into a store. What an awesome place! You should see the AC unit I'm installing. The MJ doesn't have any, so I added a second battery, large inverter and a household unit with duct taped dryer hose through the split window into the cab. Total ghetto fab but worked awesome in Nevada last summer.

Great advice. I found this out the hard way when I came out east in the MJ in January. It was cool to see Chicago up close, but painful to drive through. I caught it during rush hour.

Thanks BBCchris, I know where that place is. Never stopped in there though, I'll give it a look when I go through. Sorry dasbulliwagen, I can't say I know that person. Our military isn't huge but it sure is spread out. I've never heard of any special forces in Victoria, it's a navy base. They might have some very special forces there, but that's about it. ;)

Whoops, sorry for posting this in the wrong spot. Thanks mods for moving it. Thanks for the generous offer Geonovast. There's nothing I actually need at the moment that I can't get at a parts store (wiper switch, stuff like that). I was just curious if anyone knew of good wrecking yards along the way that I could pick through to build up a bit of a collection of spare parts. This forum has made me aware of a number of parts for MJ's that are no longer produced, so if I can scrounge some of them up for later that would be a plus. I learned years ago that being prepared pays off in spades ;)

I'm a neighbour to the north in the Canadian army. I've been posted from Ontario back to my home town of Victoria BC. I'll be driving my '90 MJ basically from Syracuse NY to Seattle WA along the I 90 starting the 26th of May. I've got lots of time for the trip, and I'm curious if there's any good boneyards that have MJ's in them along the way. I'm always looking for bits and pieces here and there and I'm sure a few folks here might have a better idea than I do. I can't wait to make the trip.